American Bullfrog Rana catesbeiana Side 1800px

Washington DC Zoo - Pituophis melanoleucus 1

Douthat State Park - Eastern fence lizard - 2

89 species of

amphibian Amphibians are tetrapod, four-limbed and ectothermic vertebrates of the Class (biology), class Amphibia. All living amphibians belong to the group Lissamphibia. They inhabit a wide variety of habitats, with most species living within terres ...

s (class Amphibia) and

reptile Reptiles, as most commonly defined are the animals in the class Reptilia ( ), a paraphyletic grouping comprising all sauropsids except birds. Living reptiles comprise turtles, crocodilians, squamates (lizards and snakes) and rhynchocephalians ( ...

s (class Reptilia) are known to inhabit the state of West Virginia. The ranges of some 34 salamander species, 15 species of frogs and toads, 21 species of snakes, 13 turtle species, and 6 lizard species extend into some portion of the state. Two of these — the Cheat Mountain salamander and

West Virginia spring salamander The West Virginia spring salamander (''Gyrinophilus subterraneus'') is a species of troglobitic salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is endemic to West Virginia, the United States. The salamander is only found in the General Davis Cave in ...

— are endemic to West Virginia. The former species is considered threatened and the latter is considered endangered by federal authorities.

The taxa

The following letters indicate the likelihood of finding each species in West Virginia: In addition, the

IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...

classifies three of these species as endangered (), two as

vulnerable Vulnerable may refer to: General * Vulnerability * Vulnerability (computing) * Vulnerable adult * Vulnerable species Music Albums * ''Vulnerable'' (Marvin Gaye album), 1997 * ''Vulnerable'' (Tricky album), 2003 * ''Vulnerable'' (The Used album) ...

(), and six as near-threatened ().

Order Urodela (salamanders)

Family Cryptobranchidae (giant salamanders)

* Eastern hellbender (''Cryptobranchus a. alleganiensis'') C,

Family Proteidae (waterdogs and mudpuppies)

* Common mudpuppy (''Necturus m. maculosus'') C

Family Ambystomatidae (mole salamanders)

Jefferson salamander The Jefferson salamander (''Ambystoma jeffersonianum'') is a mole salamander native to the northeastern United States, southern and central Ontario, and southwestern Quebec. It was named after Jefferson College in Pennsylvania. It is typically ...

(''Ambystoma jeffersonianum'') U * Spotted salamander (''Ambystoma maculatum'') C *

Marbled salamander The marbled salamander (''Ambystoma opacum'') is a species of mole salamander found in the eastern United States. Description The marbled salamander is a stocky and boldly banded salamander. The marbled salamander exhibits sexual dimorphism w ...

(''Ambystoma opacum'') C *

Small-mouth salamander The small-mouth salamander (''Ambystoma texanum'') is a species of mole salamander found in the central United States, from the Great Lakes region in Michigan to Nebraska, south to Texas, and east to Tennessee, with a population in Canada, in P ...

(''Ambystoma texanum'') R * Streamside salamander (''Ambystoma barbouri'') R,

Family
Salamandridae Salamandridae is a family of salamanders consisting of true salamanders and newts. Salamandrids are distinguished from other salamanders by the lack of rib or costal grooves along the sides of their bodies and by their rough skin. Their skin is v ...
(true salamanders)

Red-spotted newt The eastern newt (''Notophthalmus viridescens'') is a common newt of eastern North America. It frequents small lakes, ponds, and streams or nearby wet forests. The eastern newt produces tetrodotoxin, which makes the species unpalatable to preda ...

(''Notophthalmus v. viridescens'') C

Family Plethodontidae (lungless salamanders)

* Northern dusky salamander (''Desmognathus fuscus'') C * Allegheny Mountain dusky salamander (''Desmognathus ochrophaeus'') C * Seal salamander (''Desmognathus monticola'') C * Black mountain salamander (''Desmognathus welteri'') U * Blackbelly salamander (''Desmognathus quadramaculatus'') U * Red-backed salamander (''Plethodon cinereus'') C * Ravine salamander (''Plethodon richmondi'') C *

Northern ravine salamander The northern ravine salamander (''Plethodon electromorphus'') is a species of salamander in the Family (biology), family Plethodontidae. The species is Endemism, endemic to the United States. Geographic range The northern ravine salamander has ...

(''Plethodon electromorphus'') C *

Valley and ridge salamander The valley and ridge salamander (''Plethodon hoffmani'') is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae endemic to the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern United States. Etymology The species is named after biologist Richard Hoffman o ...

(''Plethodon hoffmani'') C *

Shenandoah Mountain salamander The Shenandoah Mountain salamander (''Plethodon virginia'') is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae native to the Eastern United States. Distribution The species is endemic to the Shenandoah Mountains range of the Appalachian Mo ...

(''Plethodon virginia'') U, *

Cumberland Plateau salamander The Cumberland Plateau salamander (''Plethodon kentucki'') is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is endemic to the Cumberland Plateau, the southeastern United States. Its natural habitat is temperate forests. It is threatene ...

(''Plethodon kentucki'') C * Cheat Mountain salamander (''Plethodon nettingi'') R, * Northern slimy salamander (''Plethodon glutinosus'') C *

White-spotted slimy salamander The white-spotted slimy salamander (''Plethodon cylindraceus'') is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae endemic to the Eastern United States. It is one of 55 species in the genus '' Plethodon'', and was one of the first to be ...

(''Plethodon cylindraceus'') C * Wehrle's salamander (''Plethodon wehrlei'') C * Cow Knob salamander (''Plethodon punctatus'') U, * Four-toed salamander (''Hemidactylium scutatum'') C * Northern spring salamander (''Gyrinophilus p. porphyriticus'') C * Kentucky spring salamander (''Gyrinophilus porphyriticus duryi'') C *

(''Gyrinophilus subterraneus'') R, *

Midland mud salamander Midland may refer to: Places Australia * Midland, Western Australia Canada * Midland, Albert County, New Brunswick * Midland, Kings County, New Brunswick * Midland, Newfoundland and Labrador * Midland, Ontario India * Midland Ward, Kohima, N ...

(''Pseudotriton montanus diastictus'') U * Northern red salamander (''Pseudotriton r. ruber'') C *

Green salamander The green salamander (''Aneides aeneus'') is a species of lungless salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It and the Hickory Nut Gorge green salamander (''A. caryaensis'') are the only currently-described members of the genus ''Aneides'' that i ...

(''Aneides aeneus'') U, * Southern two-lined salamander (''Eurycea cirrigera'') C, *

Northern two-lined salamander The northern two-lined salamander (''Eurycea bislineata'') is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae found in Canada and the United States. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, temperate shrubland, rivers, intermittent river ...

(''Eurycea bislineata'') C, * Long-tailed salamander (''Eurycea l. longicauda'') C * Spotted-tail salamander (''Eurycea lucifuga'') U,

Order Anura (frogs)

Family Scaphiopodidae (American spadefoot toads)

* Eastern spadefoot (''Scaphiopus holbrookii'') R

Family Bufonidae (true toads)

* Eastern American toad (''Anaxyrus a. americanus'') C * Fowler's toad (''Anaxyrus fowleri'') C

Family Hylidae (tree frogs and allies)

* Eastern cricket frog (''Acris c. crepitans'') U * Blanchard's cricket frog (''Acris blanchardi'') R *

Gray treefrog The gray treefrog (''Dryophytes versicolor'') is a species of small arboreal holarctic tree frog native to much of the eastern United States and southeastern Canada. It is sometimes referred to as the eastern gray treefrog, northern gray tree ...

(''Dryophytes versicolor'') C * Cope's gray treefrog (''Dryophytes chrysoscelis'') C * Appalachian mountain chorus frog (''Pseudacris brachyphona'') C *

Upland chorus frog The upland chorus frog (''Pseudacris feriarum'') is a species of chorus frog found in the United States. It was recently separated from the Western chorus frog, (''Pseudacris triseriata''), being identified as an individual species rather than a ...

(''Pseudacris feriarum'') U * Northern spring peeper (''Pseudacris c. crucifer'') C

Family Ranidae (true frogs)

American bullfrog The American bullfrog (''Lithobates catesbeianus''), often simply known as the bullfrog in Canada and the United States, is a large true frog native to eastern North America. It typically inhabits large permanent water bodies such as swamps, po ...

(''Lithobates catesbeianus'') C *

Northern green frog The northern green frog (''Lithobates clamitans melanota'') is a subspecies of the green frog, ''Lithobates clamitans''. It is native to the northeastern North America and has been introduced to British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abb ...

(''Lithobates clamitans melanota'') C * Wood frog (''Lithobates sylvaticus'') C * Northern leopard frog (''Lithobates pipiens'') U * Pickerel frog (''Lithobates palustris'') C

Order Testudines (turtles)

Family
Chelydridae The Chelydridae is a family of turtles that has seven extinct and two extant genera. The extant genera are the snapping turtles, ''Chelydra'' and '' Macrochelys''. Both are endemic to the Western Hemisphere. The extinct genera are '' Acherontemy ...
(snapping turtles)

Common snapping turtle The common snapping turtle (''Chelydra serpentina'') is a species of large freshwater turtle in the family Chelydridae. Its natural range extends from southeastern Canada, southwest to the edge of the Rocky Mountains, as far east as Nova Scotia ...

(''Chelydra s. serpentina'') C

Family
Emydidae Emydidae (Latin ''emys'' (freshwater tortoise) + Ancient Greek εἶδος (''eîdos'', “appearance, resemblance”)) is a family of testudines (turtles) that includes close to 50 species in 10 genera. Members of this family are commonly calle ...
(pond turtles)

* Spotted turtle (''Clemmys guttata'') R, * Wood turtle (''Glyptemys insculpta'') U, * Eastern box turtle (''Terrapene c. carolina'') C, * Northern map turtle (''Graptemys geographica'') U *

Ouachita map turtle The Ouachita map turtle (''Graptemys ouachitensis'') is a species of turtle belonging to the family Emydidae. Subspecies Subspecies include: * ''Graptemys ouachitensis ouachitensis'' Cagle, 1953 * ''Graptemys ouachitensis sabinensis'' Cagle ...

(''Graptemys o. ouachitensis'') R * Eastern painted turtle (''Chrysemys p. picta'') C * Midland painted turtle (''Chrysemys picta marginata'') C * Red-eared slider (''Trachemys scripta elegans'') C *

Eastern river cooter The eastern river cooter (''Pseudemys concinna concinna'') is a subspecies of turtle native to the eastern United States, with a smaller population in the midwest. It is found in freshwater habitats such as rivers, lakes, and ponds. Taxonomy The ...

(''Pseudemys c. concinna'') U * Northern red-bellied cooter (''Pseudemys rubriventris'') U, van Dijk, P.P. 2011. ''Pseudemys rubriventris'' (errata version published in 2016). ''The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species'' 2011: e.T18460A97427406. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/18460/97427406. Downloaded on 29 October 2018.

Family Kinosternidae (mud turtles and musk turtles)

Common musk turtle ''Sternotherus odoratus'' is a species of small turtle in the family Kinosternidae. The species is native to southeastern Canada and much of the Eastern United States. It is also known commonly as the common musk turtle, eastern musk turtle, or ...

(''Sternotherus odoratus'') C

Family Trionychidae (softshells)

* Northern spiny softshell turtle (''Apalone s. spinifera'') C * Smooth softshell turtle (''Apalone m. mutica'') R

Order Squamata (scaled reptiles)

Family Phrynosomatidae (spiny lizards)

* Eastern fence lizard (''Sceloporus undulatus'') C

Family Teiidae (whiptails)

* Eastern six-lined racerunner (''Aspidoscelis s. sexlineata'') U

Family Scincidae (skinks)

* Little brown skink (''Scincella lateralis'') U * Five-lined skink (''Plestiodon fasciatus'') C * Broad-headed skink (''Plestiodon laticeps'') U * Northern coal skink (''Plestiodon a. anthracinus'') U

Family
Colubridae Colubridae (, commonly known as colubrids , from la, coluber, 'snake') is a family of snakes. With 249 genera, it is the largest snake family. The earliest species of the family date back to the Oligocene epoch. Colubrid snakes are found on ever ...
(colubrid snakes)

* Queen snake (''Regina septemvittata'') C *

Northern watersnake The common watersnake (''Nerodia sipedon'') is a species of large, nonvenomous, common snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to North America. It is frequently mistaken for the venomous cottonmouth (''Agkistrodon piscivorus''). ...

(''Nerodia s. sipedon'') C *

DeKay's brown snake ''Storeria dekayi'', commonly known as De Kay's brown snake, De Kay's snake, and simply the brown snake (along with many others), is a small non-venomous species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to North America and Centra ...

(''Storeria d. dekayi'') U * Northern redbelly snake (''Storeria o. occipitomaculata'') C *

Eastern ribbon snake ''Thamnophis sauritus sauritus'', the eastern ribbon snake or common ribbon snake, is one of four subspecies of the ribbon snake found in the southeastern United States. Some similar species are the western ribbon snake, common garter snake, ...

(''Thamnophis s. saurita'') U * Eastern garter snake (''Thamnophis s. sirtalis'') C *

Smooth earth snake The smooth earth snake (''Virginia valeriae'') is a species of nonvenomous natricine colubrid snake native to the eastern half of the United States. Etymology The specific name or epithet, ''valeriae'', is in honor of Valeria Biddle Blaney (1 ...

(''Virginia valeriae'') U *

Eastern hognose snake The eastern hog-nosed snake (''Heterodon platirhinos''), also known as the spreading adderAlbert Hazen WWright, A.H., and species:Anna Allen WA.A. Wright (1957). ''Handbook of Snakes of the United States and Canada''. (in 2 volumes). Ithaca and L ...

(''Heterodon platirhinos'') U *

Eastern worm snake The eastern worm snake (''Carphophis amoenus amoenus'') is a subspecies of the worm snake, ''Carphophis amoenus'', a nonvenomous Colubridae, colubrid Endemism, endemic to the Eastern Woodlands region of North America. The species' range extends f ...

(''Carphophis a. amoenus'') C *

Northern ringneck snake ''Diadophis punctatus edwardsii'', commonly known as the northern ringneck snake, is a subspecies of ''Diadophis punctatus'', a snake in the family Colubridae. The subspecies is endemic to North America. Etymology The subspecific name, ''edw ...

(''Diadophis punctatus edwardsii'') C * Northern black racer (''Coluber c. constrictor'') C * Northern rough green snake (''Opheodrys a. aestivus'') U * Smooth green snake (''Opheodrys vernalis'') C * Corn snake (''Pantherophis guttatus'') R * Eastern ratsnake (''Pantherophis alleghaniensis'') C *

Northern pine snake ''Pituophis melanoleucus'', commonly known as the pine snake, is a species of nonvenomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to the southeastern United States. Three subspecies are currently recognized as being valid. T ...

(''Pituophis m. melanoleucus'') R * Eastern kingsnake (''Lampropeltis g. getula'') R * Black kingsnake (''Lampropeltis nigra'') C * Eastern milk snake (''Lampropeltis t. triangulum'') C

Family Viperidae (vipers)

* Northern copperhead (''Agkistrodon contortrix mokasen'') C * Timber rattlesnake (''Crotalus horridus'') C

References

{{Lists of reptiles by U.S. state West Virginia

Amphibians Amphibians are four-limbed and ectothermic vertebrates of the class Amphibia. All living amphibians belong to the group Lissamphibia. They inhabit a wide variety of habitats, with most species living within terrestrial, fossorial, arbore ...

West Virginia West Virginia